Community members come together to begin organic gardens
By Ken Luchterhand
Some people say spring is a time for new growth, a renewing of energy, spirit and mind.
It is a time to sow new seeds, not only to grow items to sustain the body, but also the community.
To that end, Ho-Chunk Housing and Community Development (HHCDA) has combined efforts with the Ho-Chunk Health Department to begin a community garden project in the Sandpillow community in Black River Falls.
Members of the community gathered on Thursday, May 5, to assemble wooden frames for each bed, measured out the correct spacing between the beds, then lined them up neatly along the lawn area between the elder housing and the roadway.
The grass was tilled, allowing for better drainage, then a combination of top soil and compost filled each bed. That evening, starting at 5 p.m., community members gathered to plant seeds and seedlings to begin the growing of fresh produce.
Last year, a similar project was developed with raised bed garden plots in the Indian Heights community in Wisconsin Dells. But this year, it is the Black River Falls community’s turn. Eventually, the group hopes to spread the effort to all Ho-Chunk local communities.
The funding for the Community Garden Project from HHCDA as well as Healthy Active Native Communities (HANC) Sustainability Grant.
Each individual raised bed is not owned or maintained by a single person or family. Instead, the concept is to have all the beds weeded and watered by all the community, then harvest of the fruits and vegetables given to everyone involved. That creates more of a sense of community, rather than a group of individuals.
“It’s a great idea and hopefully the community members will get more involved,” said Annie Winneshiek. “It’s a good learning process. They learn how to grow fruits and vegetables from the beginning to the end – more than if they just get it from the store. They have to do the daily watering and weeding – the whole process.”
Two elder workers, Amos Kingsley and Berna Big Thunder-Hindsley, participated from the Elder Community Work Project, a program within the Labor Department/Ho-Chunk Nation.
Ho-Chunk elders 62 and older can work up to 20 hours per week in the NPD- funded program. The elder workers contribute to the community by providing their wisdom, knowledge and skills.
Tribal Chief Clayton Winneshiek was present to help with the project, along with providing a blessing to the project.
“In 2013, HHCDA received two comments by way of our required "listening sessions" when we get out in the communities to listen,” said Melanie Stacy of HHCDA, one of the organizers for the project. “We compile all the comments and suggestions for the following year's Indian Housing Plan. That year, two communities requested community gardens.
“In 2014, HHCDA started meeting in February with the District 2 - Blue Wing community to plan an organic community garden in this area,” Stacy said. “The lead person on this project was an elder veteran that continues to impact the initiative by installing that our Hocak way of life must always exist.”
Then, in 2015, a second organic community garden was started in Indian Heights, Wisconsin Dells, Stacy said.
“This year the third was in District 1 – the Black River Falls area. When each of these gardens were started, a workgroup was created with a designated day of the week being set to establish, "same" day, time and location, to keep consistency with in the planning and community. Expectations were clear, time frames were discussed, and tasks always being assigned. It was made clear initially for each project that success is up to the volunteers and it is a community driven project that HHCDA is technically assisting with funding and facilitating,” she said.
“Each community adopted the original vision of always teaching and learning; and sharing and giving; our Hocak way of life will always exist,” Stacy said.
Each community has leaders that are stepping up and realizing the many benefits these garden projects for the Hocak people, she said. They are the volunteers that show up and take action. It is the volunteers that are making these projects a success.
“The projects are bringing health and wellness back to our communities by learning how to garden; knowing what and how pesticides and other modified food can cause; learn how to cook what they planted; know the health benefits; learn how to preserve for winter months; how this helps their family budgets; and most importantly, how, as Hocak people, we must return to the basics of learning and working with the earth and protect the earth, and doing the same with all community members,” Stacy said.
In a future project, Sara Peterson, supervisor with Ho-Chunk Health Care Center, is working on funding called a “Race to the Top” grant. It is a grant that she is currently working on developing that is directed towards children ages birth to 5. A garden location for that project is yet to be determined.
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